Colorado Buffaloes Spring Football Game Storylines: Deion Sanders Introduces New-Look Squad

These are the biggest storylines to follow heading into Colorado's 2025 spring football game:

Starting quarterback competition

Arguably the most notable storyline of the spring has been Colorado's starting quarterback competition. Early enrollee Julian "JuJu" Lewis, Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and returner Ryan Staub are all battling for the right to become Shedeur Sanders' heir.

Salter is the likely frontrunner due to his vast college experience, but Lewis has shown well this spring and Staub has the advantage of knowing offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's system best. It'll be interesting to see which quarterback will run with the top offensive unit and how much playing time each will see.

Expected attendance

Last week, BuffZone's Brian Howell reported that Colorado has sold 9,650 tickets for Saturday's spring game. The 2023 spring game was sold out (47,277), and 28,424 tickets were sold last year.

Historically, selling about 10,000 tickets is impressive for a Colorado spring game, but fans aren't quite flocking as they did the past two years.

Colorado's final intrasquad spring game?

Earlier this spring, "Coach Prime" and Syracuse coach Fran Brown petitioned the NCAA to allow for a combined spring scrimmage between the Buffs and Orange. While the powers that be ultimately shut the idea down this year, there's hope that college football programs will be allowed to practice and scrimmage against each other in springs to come.

"I would like to style it like the pros," Sanders said. "I'd like to go against someone (in practice) for a few days, and then you have the spring game. I think the public would be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it's a tremendous idea. I've told those personnel, who should understand that, that it's a tremendous idea."

First impressions

Lewis and Salter aren't the only newcomers looking to make a strong first impression on the Folsom faithful. Incoming transfers to watch on Saturday include linebackers Martavius French (UTSA) and Reginald Hughes (Jacksonville State), wide receiver Joseph Williams (Tulsa), offensive lineman Zy Crisler (Illinois) and defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis (Alabama). "Coach Prime" has also been impressed by placekicker Buck Buchanan, a Louisiana Tech transfer.

Among Colorado's early enrollees, players to watch include defensive lineman Alexander McPherson, offensive lineman Chauncey Gooden, and wide receivers Quanell Farrakhan Jr. and Quentin Gibson.